European Film Awards to Move Dates Into Awards Season

Requests by scripted TV production companies to film on location in Los Angeles plummeted 51% in the first week of the Writers Guild’s strike compared to the same week a year ago, according to FilmLA, the city and county film permit office.

J. Kim Murphy It’s the end of the road for Jack Ryan. Prime Video has slated the premiere date for the fourth and final season of “Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan.” The espionage action series, which stars John Krasinski as the CIA spy, will premiere the first two episodes of its final season on June 30. Two episodes will be released weekly thereafter, with the finale of the six-episode season debuting on Prime Video on July 14. The new episodes of “Jack Ryan” come to the streamer only six months after the third season debuted in December. Prime Video debuted all eight episodes of Season 3 simultaneously over the winter, but has shifted to a weekly release structure for the final season. The series was renewed for a fourth season prior to airing episodes of its third.

The European Film Academy (EFA) has unveiled 462 film professionals as new members in an announcement timed to coincide with Europe Day on May 9.

When you look at the state of the “Star Wars” franchise, there are two different stories to be told. On the one hand, you have the TV side of things over on Disney+, which seems to be thriving.

Denise Gough has done enough television to know that sometimes what you read in a script doesn’t always make it to the screen. And even after filming was completed, Gough thought that could be the case with the “Star Wars” prequel series, “Andor.” What the two-time Olivier Award winner wasn’t banking on was that Tony Gilroy was running the show.

Do you folks remember, not that long ago, during Star Wars Celebration, when Kathleen Kennedy told the press that Kevin Feige was never really attached to a “Star Wars” film and it was just the fandom that made it all up? She actually said, “We never discussed an idea,” and basically, gaslit everyone into thinking it was all a rumor. Of course, we know that’s not true because Feige talked about it, Michael Waldron talked about being hired to write a script, and now, we have the Russo Brothers, who not only confirm that Feige was working on a “Star Wars” film with Lucasfilm but that they were discussing possibly signing on to direct.

“9-1-1,” Fox’s highest-rated scripted series, is moving to ABC after Fox opted not to renew it for Season 7. The series from creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Tim Minear stars Angela Bassett and Peter Krause as first responders dealing with often hazardous emergencies in Los Angeles.

In a clear sign of broadcast’s evolving business realities, Fox has opted not to renew its highest rated scripted series, 9-1-1, produced by 20th Television. The upcoming Season 6 finale on May 15 will be its last episode on Fox. But it will not be a series finale for the first responder drama, from creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Tim Minear, which has been picked up by 20th TV sibling ABC and will join the Disney network’s lineup next season, making for one of the highest-profile series moves ever.

Fair warning to certain right-wing politicians. Deadline’s Contenders Television: Documentary + Unscripted virtual event, which kicks off its 2023 edition Saturday beginning at 9 a.m. PT, will feature the appearance of … (dramatic pause) … drag queens. Miss Isabelle Brooks and Luxx Noir London are among the RuPaul’s Drag Race contestants joining us to talk about Season 15 of the MTV unscripted series. Not only that, but Grammy-winning recording artist Lizzo – an ally of the LGBTQ+ community who boldly invited several RuPaul’s Drag Race all-stars onto the stage at her recent Nashville concert — is also coming by to spill the tea on her HBO Max film Love, Lizzo, which documents her Cuz I Love You world tour. 

Charna Flam Kevin Hart and MotorTrend have moved the second season of “Kevin Hart’s Muscle Car Crew” to The Roku Channel. The unscripted series first debuted in 2021 on MotorTrend+ and MotorTrend TV. “Kevin Hart’s Muscle Car Crew” follows Hart and his friends, the “Plastic Cup Boyz,” as they dive into America’s evolving car culture. Throughout the first season, the group of friends began as just mere car enthusiasts and slowly turned into a legitimate car club. In Season 2, Hart and his crew open their own car restoration garage in Atlanta. The new car aficionados begin to learn even more about car culture as they work together to open and operate their own brick and mortar location.

James Mangold‘s “Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny” will have its world premiere next month at the Cannes Film Festival on May 18: a prestige showing for a prestige franchise. Or what was once a prestige franchise? Fifteen years after 2008’s “Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Cyrstal Skull,” it’s hard to tell how much cultural caché Lucasfilm‘s storied series still has.

Anna Marie de la Fuente L.A.-based Janek Ambros, founder of production and film financing company Assembly Line Entertainment, will receive the Auteur Filmmaker Award at Spain’s Roots of Europe (Raíces de Europa) festival, landing him in the company of such noteworthy cinematic auteurs as Polish director Krzysztof Zanussi alongside Spain’s Aitor López de Aberásturi and Juanma Bajo Ulloa, among others. The festival, which runs May 2 – 12, will also be showcasing a number of Ambros’ films during the event, in recognition for his work in experimental, narrative, and documentary films primarily shot in Europe. It was just three years ago when Ambros presented Zanussi with the coveted award where he conveyed a written message from Scorsese.

Spring has sprung — which means it’s time to look ahead to winter. Organizers of the Santa Barbara International Film Festival said today that its 39th annual event will run February 7-17 in the coastal California town.

The European Film Awards, Europe’s equivalent of the Oscars, will move from its traditional December slot to mid-January in 2026.

Concern about looming labor unrest and uncertainty surrounding pending corporate restructuring have contributed to a 35.8% plunge in on-location TV production in Los Angeles in the first quarter of 2023 compared with the same period last year, according to the latest report from FilmLA, the city and county film permit office.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent French director Catherine Corsini was meant to be the seventh female director in competition at the 72nd edition of Cannes with her film “Le Retour” (The Return). But her competition slot is on hold for now after news broke about several alleged inappropriate incidents during filming. The night before the press conference on April 13, Cannes chief Thierry Fremaux confirmed to the director that she would have a competition slot, but shortly before the start of the announcement, the festival’s administration board decided to hold off on including the title as part of the lineup. The delay came after the board discovered that Corsini was allegedly being accused of harassment by crew members, while other members of the crew had been allegedly been accused of inappropriate acts against two female actors, according to French reports. Fremaux told Variety the “administration board wished to gather more information about the situation around the film before taking a decision on whether to include the film in its Official Selection.”

Benicio del Toro will be recognized with the Platino Honorary Award. The award celebrates Ibero-American filmmaking, being one of the few recognitions that considers Latin American and Spanish talent.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief The Hong Kong Film Awards gave a huge dose of support to veteran filmmaker Mabel Cheung Yuen-ting, naming her documentary “To My Nineteen-Year-Old Self” as best film on Sunday, despite local controversy which saw it pulled from screens earlier this year. The numerical winner on the night was “Detectives Vs Sleuths,” which earned four major awards: best director, best screenplay, best actor (Sean Lau Ching-wan) and best cinematography. The hugely popular Sammi Cheng was named winner of the best actress award, her first win after six previous nominations. Michelle Yeoh was on hand to present the prize for best new performer to 10-year-old Sahal Zaman, for his role in “Sunny Side of the Street.” Yeoh, who recently won the Oscar for best actress in “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” established her career in Hong Kong and won the same award back in 1986 with “Yes, Madam.”

Mabel Cheung’s controversial documentary To My Nineteen-year-old Self scooped Best Picture at the Hong Kong Film Awards on Sunday night (April 16), where the crowds also applauded an appearance by Best Actress Academy Award winner Michelle Yeoh. 

Deadline’s Contenders Television, where the top networks and streamers will show off their wares and Emmy hopefuls, kicks off Saturday morning to open a full weekend of one-stop shopping for anyone interested in the best and brightest series this awards season.